Crime Scenes

Living in Atlanta, a city with 5 million plus people I guess its not that rare to run into an occasional crime scene or two. However, I seem to find a crime scene every time I go out and about. It really makes ya wonder. about this city. I mean it doesn't seem that violent of a city to me.

So this brings me to the topic of this post. Its not crime or violence or even the yellow "Do not cross" tape I keep running into it. It is what makes Atlanta such a great place to create in and why I have made it my home all these years.

First off, as an artist, Atlanta has a really great tension in it. A vibe to it that says anything can happen at any time. I think a lot of cities have this feeling, but Atlanta's is explosive. I think it comes from the history of civil rights here. This city has been on both sides of that argument at several different times. Even now It is in the middle of it with the gay rights movement. Atlanta was the home of Martin Luther King Jr. and the KKK. Is the deep Republican Southland and the largest gay population on this coast. So it has this diverse tension to it that is wonderful for creativity.

Also there is a contrast just in the look of Atlanta. It is a city, yet it is not hard at all to find green space, hell even lakes inside the beltway. It is the only city I know of that you can smell waste on one block and magnolias on the next. Sometimes smelling both at the same time.

So with all this strange contradiction and tension I guess it shouldn't surprise me to find crime scene tape every time I'm out. As long as I'm not involved in the crime and I don't stumble upon an actual body, I find it interesting when I see it.

So to answer many peoples question "will the photo-monk return to Atlanta when he is done walking ?" Unless I find an equally interesting city, I will. I am a Yankee that has been subdued by the south. A rural kid that has fallen in love with the city. I will be back.

Caleb Storms

The Photo-monk.